The X-Project

Tandy and Clint try to have lunch but the paparazzi make it difficult.



"Table for two." Tandy said as she walked up to the hostess. "Also, can we get a table away from the window?" The hostess nodded while taking her name and said it would be just a few minutes. The blonde walked back to her lunch companion. "Couple of minutes."

Clint nodded, hooking his arm around Tandy's shoulders to give her a half-hug. He'd been attempting to avoid going places with either her or Sue given the ridiculousness that was their tabloid situation, but they were friends and it was stupid to let some photographers interfere with his life that way. "You okay? You've been quiet." He kept his voice low.

"Yes." She lied but when she looked at him she sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind. Sorry. I'll be more cheery." She smiled up at Clint.

"Hey, you don't have to fake it with me," Clint said, tightening his arm a little before releasing her. "If you're not okay, that's okay. You're allowed."

"I know. Its just...you already know about the Bowler thing, God have mercy on the souls who came up with that name, its complicated. Not sure how to say this without making it awkward." Tandy heard her name being called and the hostess led the way to their table away from the windows.

Clint smiled a little as he held Tandy's chair out for her. Moving over to his own, he thanked the hostess and then raised his eyebrows. "How would it make things more awkward?"

"Thanks." Tandy took her seat and looked over at Clint. "Did you see the photo on Halloween?"

"To be honest, I've been trying to avoid looking at the tabloids since they put me on the cover with Sue," Clint said, shaking his head. "Why? What's up?"

Tandy winced at that part. "I am glad they were not this persistent when we dated. Um, well lets say that they published a Sailor Moon kissing a Tuxedo Mask. And I wasn't in the picture."

Clint blinked. "So Keller was making out with some chick that wasn't you but everyone thinks it was you?" He tilted his head to the side a little. "Is that like... a bad thing? I mean. You said you two weren't really dating?"

"No. They know it isn't me. And yea kind of a bad thing. And yes not dating." Looking away from him as if she was looking for their waitress.

The waitress took their drink orders, smiled brightly at both of them, and headed for the back of the restaurant. "Okay, so - wait. How bad of a bad thing is it?"

"I don't know. I think all the constant press and being photographed is getting to me."

"But you've... always been photographed," Clint pointed out, eyes flicking to the side as he caught movement toward the back of the restaurant. Nothing shifted when he looked directly toward the door to the kitchens, though, and the chatter of other patrons around them kept him from listening for anything more specific. He turned his attention back to Tandy. "Is it just that it's gotten worse lately?"

"Truth. But yes. I mean who kisses random strangers? And the photographers they have like no barriers."

Clint quirked a rueful smile. "Isn't that like. Part of the contract when somebody signs up to be part of the paparazzi? 'Must have no qualms about invading everyone else's business?'"

"Then they should have no qualms when I have them thrown out of places. They are worse then Slendermen."

"Sh," Clint said, glancing around them again - he could swear someone was lurking near that back door and it was starting to make the hair on the nape of his neck stand on end that he couldn't see them when looking over there directly. "You're not supposed to talk about them, it draws their attention. And we've had enough of that already." Reaching across the table, he tapped a fingertip against one of Tandy's knuckles. "You sure you're not like..." He paused and sighed a little to himself before plunging forward. "You're not like, upset about the fact that Keller was kissing someone else?"

Tandy gave Clint the "Really?" look. "I don't think they'll bother us again. We are too much of a hassle." Truth be told Tandy hoped she was right about the Slendermen. "Pssf. No." Tandy looked up at the waitress who brought their drinks.

"Thanks," Clint said, nodding to the waitress. He ordered a burger, waited until Tandy'd given the woman her order, and then watched the waitress leave. "You sure?" He asked. "Cause I dunno."

Tan ordered the same before picking up her drink and taking a long sip. "You keep looking at something. What is it?" Changing the topic completely.

Clint pointed a finger at Tandy. "I see what you did there, don't think I didn't." Then his eyes flicked back toward the door. "I think there's somebody over there but they keep moving before I can figure out what they're doing. It's kind of distracting."

"I don't know what you are talking about Mr. Barton." Tandy looked over in that general direction. "Maybe an annoying manager? What did it look like they were doing?"

Clint gave Tandy a slightly unimpressed look for her attempt to deflect attention from herself, then frowned again. "I don't know - that's the problem. It's just like. Small movements that keep catching my eye but when I look over there, there's nobody there, just a door. Which is weird."

Tandy ignored his look as she took another sip of her water. "Please don't say that there really is one of those things back there." She felt a slight panic at the thought of a Slenderman really being in the same area. Turning her attention back to where he said the movement was from, "Should we just keep staring at it?"

"No, I - it's not the same. There was... weird distortion with them. This is just... there's movement and then it's gone," Clint shook his head, focusing on Tandy again. "Is there anything I can do to like. Make you less..." He gestured toward her. "Inclined to mope?"

Tan looked in the area again before turning towards Clint. Her brain was trying to figure out what it was that Clint kept saying. "Oh god, am I being mopey?" Burying her face into her hands, "Okay, no more moping Tandy."

"You're sort of waffling back and forth between pensive and outright ignoring things or pretending I didn't say them, so I compromised on 'mopey,'" Clint offered, smiling a little.

"Says the man that sees things at the corner of his eye." She winked at him.

"Hey, seeing things other people can't or don't is part of my schtick - don't knock it."

Tandy laughed, "That is your best features, your eyes."

Clint shook his head. "That's not what some people think."

"Well some people are wrong." Taking another sip of her water.

Doffing an imaginary hat, Clint smiled as their waitress returned with their food. That was when he caught sight of the man standing just inside the door to the kitchen, camera in hand. The smile dropped off his face as the waitress left and he glanced toward Tandy. "Paparazzi in the kitchen. Bet I can guess what the tabloids are gonna say in the morning."

"Yup crazy blonde girl thrown in jail for breaking camera." Tandy got up with plate in hand. "I am going to take care of this."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Clint said, jumping up and getting himself between Tandy and the door to the kitchen. He was pretty sure, despite the clatter of utensils on plates, he could hear the camera's shutter clicking away. "Jail's a bad idea. Also, that burger looks good and we could probably get all of it to go or talk to the manager or something."

"Can't you like throw a fork and hit the camera?" Looking up at him before looking down at the burger. "I hate people now."

"Yes, I could probably do that, but I don't want to get arrested for destruction of property, either," Clint said, taking Tandy by the shoulders and turning her back toward their table. "C'mon, let's like. Get our to-go boxes and talk to the manager and head out."

"They can't prove it. You are too fast." She allowed herself to be turned around and set down her plate. "Head to my uncles house and watch a movie? Or your place?"

"I'm pretty sure they'd get a picture of me, despite my impressive speed and accuracy. So let's head back to the mansion," Clint said, flagging down a waiter rather than trying to get their original waitress. "We can be pretty much 100% sure there are no creepy stalker dudes with cameras there." He asked the waiter to get the manager for him. When the manager showed up, they informed her of the issue, got their to-go boxes, paid, and left the establishment.

"Sorry. They are just ruthless. It has only been a month since the rumors started but jeez." Turning to look back at the restaurant before putting on her hat. "Can't a girl have lunch with her friend?"

"Obviously you have unrealistic expectations for lunch," Clint said, quirking a rueful smile. "No girl is allowed to have lunch with any friend, male or female, without rumors starting to fly. Especially not if she's sort of famous."

"Famous because of my mother. I think I just flew up a few notches once the rumors started when I was photographed with Julian."

"Better that, at the moment, than being famous for an assault and battery charge," Clint pointed out, still smiling. "C'mon, we can stop in the kitchen to see if there's any pie left."